Sony’s 1000X The Collexion is a celebration of luxury and luxury

Ten years ago Sony introduced it MDR-1000X headphones. They combine noise cancellation, clarity, design, and comfort in a way we’ve never seen before in wireless headphones. (At the time, the Bose QC35 was a serious competitor, but I wasn’t a big fan of their sound control.) The 1000X launched a pair of wireless headphones that became the standard for it – I still have two. WH-1000XM4which hangs beside my desk. To celebrate the launch of the original, Sony is releasing the 1000X The Collection. (The X in “collection” refers to 10 years of headphones and is part of the name of the series. There is no indication that other products will be added to this Collexion.) Sony told me that they are “at the top of technology and design,” and boy does their price reflect that.

The new 1000X cans are not replacements WH-1000XM6 that Sony released a year ago. According to Sony, the XM6 is designed for performance while the 1000X is a premium design focused on comfort. They are also $650. This is at least $200 more than cash WH-1000XM6 usually go, and $100 more Apple AirPods Max 2. So are these headphones worth adding yours collection?

The new 1000X looks a lot like the XM6, with callbacks to the design of the original 1000X headphones from a decade ago – exposed metal and ear cups wrapped in vegan leather for a more comfortable feel than the plain plastic of the XM6 ear cups. The same applies to the ear pads and the head cushion. Both the ear cups and the headband cushion are more comfortable than those on the XM6. The headset’s padding is 40 percent larger and 10 percent thicker than the padding on the XM6, according to Sony. Padding is also easily removed and replaced, although replacement rates should be confirmed. There is more space inside the ear cushions, which fit the ears more easily than the XM6. The ear cup housing is 5mm thinner than the XM6, which makes the headphones more compact.

All of the connectors and head supports are made of stainless steel instead of plastic, and the head frame sits on the outside of the head frame, as opposed to the inside like on the XM6. The connections rotate but don’t bend, so the headphones lie quietly as if WH-1000XM5 and takes up more space than the XM6 does when folded. Buttons and cable ports are also made of metal to match the knot and head. Steel combined with vegan leather for the housing and straps give the 1000X a cohesive, flexible look. I wish they came in other colors than black and white. I understand the idea of ​​understated, restrained beauty, but some colors can turn into a statement to wear.

The new design has some drawbacks, however. The first is that headphones are very heavy. Using metal instead of plastic increased the weight from 253 grams for the XM6 to 320 grams for the 1000X. This is still far from the 386 grams of the Apple AirPods Max 2. I did not find the weight of the 1000X to be too oppressive, although after about an hour and a half I began to feel the pressure that rested above my head.

Design choices also affect noise reduction performance. The 1000X uses the same QN3 noise cancellation processor and 12-mic system as the 1000XM6, which also provides the same level of noise cancellation. But thanks to the smaller ear cup, the 1000X’s passive Isolation is not good, especially between them and reaching higher frequencies. So its overall noise cancellation is less than the XM6.

A smaller housing leaves less room for the battery. Sony claims that with ANC, the headphones get up to 24 hours of battery life (the XM6 gets up to 30 hours). I haven’t had the 1000X long enough to confirm what he said. The battery doesn’t perform well on fast charging, either, with a five-minute charge providing an extra 1.5 hours, while the XM6 can get three hours from a three-minute charge.

Sony says the 1000X uses new unidirectional 30mm carbon fiber drivers, plus the company’s “most advanced” version of its DSEE sound system and a new integrated V3 processor. The sound is a bit crisp in the lower midrange, and there’s some sparkle in the upper range that’s missing from the XM6. The opening vocals on The Black Crowes’ “Sometimes Salvation” can be heard a bit on the XM6, but on the 1000X the vocals cut through the guitar structure well. When Marc Ford comes up with his live solo on the right of the soundstage, the distorted guitar plays with great presence. The difference in quality between the 1000X and the XM6 is minimal, however. Both headphones sound great.

For the 1000X, Sony has added music and game 360 ​​upmix listening to the 360 ​​upmix cinema mode available on the XM6. 360 upmixing takes a stereo signal and tries to create a 3D image. I’m not a huge fan of this, as it tends to boost the high frequencies a bit and doesn’t sound like a song that was deliberately mixed for audio.

The final design that sets the 1000X apart is its story. It’s very close to the size of the XM6’s case – although the XM6’s ear cups fold flat with the 1000X’s swivel – but it has a cutout to create a handle, which makes it look more like a headphone holder and a little bag. As is the case with the XM6, there’s a magnetic connector on the bottom that closes well (it took a lot of shaking to get the headphones to fall off).

The Sony 1000X headphones are comfortable, stylish, well built, and sound great. I’m not entirely sure who they are, though. The Sony XM series is known for its high-quality noise cancellation, but the refinement is limited. Their cost also puts them out of reach for many people. And maybe that’s the idea. Although the 1000X is a celebration of the XM series, it is not an evolution. And they are expensive to celebrate at that. If you’re looking for comfortable, functional, and great sounding headphones, I’d still get the 1000XM6.

Photography by John Higgins/The Verge